New Zealand Government needs to change visa requirements to 'save' nation's ski industry

Jono Dean, Chief Executive at Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) is calling for the New Zealand Government to lift restrictions so skilled overseas workers can be employed in the country’s ski fields this season.

Highlighting that current restrictions stopping skilled workers coming into the country are hampering the recovery of the country’s ski industry, along with the slow approval of working holiday visa extensions, Dean explained “we’ve been waiting for months for Immigration New Zealand to lift these restrictions but nothing has been done and it’s seriously threatening our ability to open parts of Mt Ruapehu’s ski fields this winter.

"We have five overseas staff - a groomer operator and 4 specialist ski instructors - hanging in limbo awaiting confirmation of their visas - and with the rest of the world opening its borders again to foreign workers they won’t wait for us forever.

"We’re not the only ski area to be in this situation - the South Island ski fields are in exactly the same position."

Dean says that through SAANZ’s (Ski Association of New Zealand) procedures RAL applied for a specific Groomer operator position in mid-April and then Ski Instructors in May, adding "there are simply not the skills locally to fulfil these technical roles from specialist operators or skilled people and we’ve had little to no response or even acknowledgement of the lodging of these individual applications."

Dean notes that working holiday visas are just as important to fulfil roles in restaurants and cafes on the mountain - again vital roles to operate ski fields.

He wend on to say “the hospitality and tourism sector has been screaming out for additional resources since the end of the lockdown over a year ago and Government has continually dragged the chain about announcing any extensions for working holiday visas.

"It’s disappointing that we have to wait until the 11th hour to hear whether these much needed resources could be available for the 2021 winter season. Chefs and cooks are at a critical level, so much so that cooks have been placed on the critical shortage list allowing them to be considered for key kitchen positions, however the delays are preventing their applications from progressing."

RAL job application numbers are down by 40% compared to 2019, which was a healthy ski season environment. There is a marked shortage of specific skilled areas such as Food and Beverage (chefs/cooks), Groomer Operators, Skilled Ski Instructors, and those with supervisory experience.

Dean went on to say “we have a number of initiatives in place to focus on training and boosting staff experience this year but we still require a number of experienced staff to provide this training. As an example we have an Apprentice Ski Instructor Programme in place for late June, however we’ve seen very few experienced instructors apply for positions.”

Dean fears that the lack of instructors puts the ability to deliver ski lessons is at risk, stating "based on an instructor group of 40 we would ideally have 8-12 Level 3 instructors. We have only had 2 x Level 3 instructors who are in New Zealand and are New Zealand residents apply for roles.

"Of our Groomer Operator applicants, we didn’t have enough local resident applications to meet operational requirements and even of those applicants, only half of them had any relevant experience."

Explaining that the situation is dire, Dean concludes "we cannot adequately meet the demand of a busy ski season ahead without the support from working holiday visas. It seems there is a misalignment between the reality of the business need on the ground and the urgency for Government to support the critical tourism and hospitality sectors trying their hardest to work towards an economic recovery."

Images: Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (top) and Jono Dean, Chief Executive at Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (below).